The Experience - Ranch and Raft Trips

Ten thousand feet up in the mountains of the Tavaputs Plateau a simpler life still passes by. Every morning at sunrise the horses come in for a little grain, and the cowboys gather for a cup of coffee and some easy conversation. The kitchen is a natural gathering place. You can count on the smell of fresh baking and home style cooking anytime of day.

Jeanie Wilcox grew up on ‘THE MOUNTAIN' with thousands of acres to play in. The nearest neighbor was ten miles by dirt road. Lucky for us one of those neighbors happened to be Butch Jensen. As childhood friends they rode stick-horses together. Two decades later at the ranch where Jeanie's great grandad settled horse trades with Butch Cassidy; Jeanie and Butch Jensen settled on spending their lives together. They are a charismatic couple with a nack for hospitality that comes natural after four generations of sharing a warm fire, and hitching post on the edge of nowhere.

They will openly share their way of life with you. Introduce you to their horses by name, loan a hat to you, and offer a few pointers on getting along with your mount. After the crew serves up a hearty lunch there is time for a drive to the edge of the mountain and a VIEW. The panorama into Desolation Canyon is rivaled only by the Grand Canyon. In today's world there seems to be a whole lot more of us, in a whole lot less space. A quiet walk alone in a meadow or aspen grove can provide a whole lot of healing.

[ Tavaputs Ranch/Desolation | Tavaputs Ranch/Westwater ]